What now? Lessons from the Australian bushfires news Nov - Feb 2020
To get your donations directly into Community go to vaccho.org.au/ Image: VACCHO staff load up P2 air masks and water bottles bound for ACCOs in donate-now bushfire affected Gippsland areas.
The challenges presented by this to address this crisis support year’s bushfires have been a huge services alongside their many focus for many in our Community other operational duties and we all across the past four months. thank you.
Beyond the immediate impacts of Awareness of Aboriginal land and property losses, mental representation – both as victims health has been a pressing concern of the fires and as contributors to - with ACCOs fielding an enormous the bush fire recovery effort - is increase in demand for counselling slowly improving. We have seen and wellbeing support services positive stories emerge during during these recent months. the crisis - from Aboriginal firies Invasion Day 2020 pictures pg 4 The leadership shown by the CEOs to the fantastic support provided and their staff of our VACCHO by Community leaders and their Membership organisations in the teams at a grassroots level. Vibrant, affected regions, particularly in There have also been valuable Gippsland, during this distressing conversations acknowledging the healthy, time has been incredible. Our contribution our people can and self- teams have risen to the occasion do make to land management. determining CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Aboriginal Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc. VACCHO is the the peak body for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples living in Victoria communities If you want to help create change in the Aboriginal health system. Come work with us. vaccho.org.au/jobs/c/
VACCHO newsletters are available to view online at www.vaccho.org.au/news-media/nl
Contents 01 Lessons from the Australian 06 Koorie Pride Network bushfires 08 Growing the ACCO GP 03 Ballarat and District Aboriginal Workforce Cooperative launches it’s new 09 Mental Health Royal medical clinic Commission consultations 04 Invasion Day 2020 10 Strength through speaking 05 Elders acting up for aged care truth awareness 11 Out and about
2 VACCHOVACCHO NEWSNEWS NovemberNovember -- FebruaryFebruary 20202020 Image (L-R): The Hon. Juliana Addison MP (green dress), The Hon. Michaela Settle MP, The Hon. Daniel Andrews MP, Uncle Frank Laxton, BDAC CEO Karen Heap and Uncle Rob Watts Inset (bottom left): BDAC staff with Community Leaders and Government representatives
VACCHO newsletters are Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative launches its new medical clinic available to view online at Ballarat and District Aboriginal for Aboriginal self-determination. This building will continue to www.vaccho.org.au/news-media/nl Cooperative (BADAC) was excited be a hub for local Aboriginal and proud to have Premier Daniel The building has been an employment. BADAC has Aboriginal enormous undertaking for Andrews formally open their new nurses and specialists already there, BADAC: $630,000 worth of $6 million medical clinic on Friday and they are looking forward to the 1 November. concrete; $525,000 worth of steel and metalwork; $525,000 day when they welcome their first Aboriginal doctor. The Ballarat Aboriginal community of ceilings and walls; $770,000 showed they know how to come of electrical and mechanical This new medical clinic is a together and celebrate, attending works. 20 B-double truckloads powerful symbol: that Aboriginal in their hundreds with barely two of contaminated soil removed. people create their own lives 6 boxes of Panadol, and a knee days’ notice. BADAC had sent out and futures. That we are proud reconstruction. text message alerts, made phone and strong. That we need to calls, did a massive mail out and The project directly employed 150 do health our way: a holistic Facebook alerts. local people, including joiners, approach which respects that Such a fantastic turn out shows painters, carpenters, tilers, culture, land, language and how important the clinic is to the plasterers, electrical, mechanical and family are vital to the mental, Ballarat community, both for its plumbers. It indirectly supported physical, emotional and spiritual culturally safe health care and for many others, including workers health of Aboriginal people. its symbolic value that Aboriginal in the Ballarat window-frame people deserve the best. factory, truck drivers and excavator For more information about the operators. BADAC also used local services BADAC offers contact The clinic is such an important step architects and local builders, all of them at www.badac.net.au or call forward for Aboriginal health, and whom did a brilliant job. 03 5331 5344.
VACCHO NEWS November - February 2020 3 #Changethedate
Invasion Day March 26 January 2020 from Victorian Parliament House to Birrarung Marr
4 VACCHO NEWS November - February 2020 4 VACCHO NEWS November - February 2020 Elders acting up for aged care awareness VACCHO and the Victorian Committee for Aboriginal Trevor Pearce, Acting CEO of VACCHO (bottom left), Aged Care and Disability (VCAACD) launched the introduced VCAACD as an auspice of VACCHO and 2019 Community Elder Videos on Aged Care in shared personal experiences of how hard the aged December last year. care system is to navigate for our Mob. VCAACD engaged the Health Issues Centre to Jill Gallagher AO, Treaty Advancement produce a series of eight short videos designed to Commissioner (bottom left), stressed the assist older Aboriginal people, their carers, and aged importance of culture and how it must be care workers in ACCOs to navigate government and embedded in aged care for self-determination. mainstream services. Gerard Mansour, Commissioner for Senior Victorians (bottom left), spoke of what it means to age well, and The videos promote aged care services available to the importance that Elders get the right to access the older Aboriginal people and raise awareness about services they need. our Elders’ rights when accessing support. Zoe Austin-Crowe, Senior Policy Advisor and Project The videos are led by star acting performances Manager with the Health Issues Centre, introduced and script input from members of the Victorian the videos and how they were made to give a voice Aboriginal Community. to Community. On 12 December, Mantra Bell City rolled out the Following the success of the launch and the red carpet for 50 people from the VCAACD regional reception of the videos, VCAACD is developing networks to attend the premiere screening, a communication strategy to promote them accompanied by a video story from Uncle Paul and looking at producing more videos in 2020 Chapman (pictured bottom right with staff from accompanied with information pamphlets. Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-op), and speeches from esteemed guests. The videos are available on the VACCHO website at www.vaccho.org.au/policy-advocacy/vcaacd The event was hosted by VCAACD Chair, Lynette Bishop and began with a Welcome to Country from Traditional Author: Jarrod McDonald, Proud Wiradjuri man and Owner and Wurundjeri Elder, Aunty Di Kerr (Center). VACCHO Policy Officer
VACCHO NEWS November - February 2020 5 At this year’s Midsumma Pride March Koorie supporting culturally safe inclusive practices Pride Network Victoria (KPN), with the help for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander of Boon Wurrung Elder, N’arwee’t Carolyn identifying lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and Briggs, mob and The Merindas, was launched. gender diverse, intersex, queer, questioning, The idea for KPN emerged from two Aboriginal Sistergirl and Brotherboy (LGBTIQAS&B) living gatherings - Kunghah Retreat: Brotherboys and in Victoria. Sistergirls Gathering (2016) and the Nanyubak The Network also works in preserving our Yapaneyeputj Retreat (2018). cultural and SSG history and knowledge With seed funding from the Department through storytelling with our Communities and of Premier and Cabinet and auspicing at all SSG communities. VACCHO, KPN was established to ensure that self-determination, connection and pride is KPN prioritises empowerment through evident in our sexuality, sex and gender diverse visibility to build on social and cultural change (SSG) Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander by connecting and supporting Aboriginal and/ communities living within Victoria. or Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQAS&B mob living in Victoria. KPN Victoria upholds the right to self- determination and celebrates its values For more information on KPN go to their and diversity. It does this by advocating and facebook page or contact Alli on 9411 9411.
66 VACCHO VACCHO NEWS NEWS November November - -February February 2020 2020 The 1st KPN community meeting will be held in March 2020. Check out their FB page for details.
VACCHOVACCHO NEWS NEWS November November - -February February 2020 2020 7 7 Growing the ACCO GP Workforce Pictured, Mr Trevor Carr (Rural Workforce Agency Victoria), Roman Zwolak (Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative), Janina De Silva (VACCHO), Nicole McCartney (Department of Health), Dr Nadia Lusis (VACCHO), Kate McIntosh (Primary Health Network Alliance), Ben Trewarn (RWAV), Chris Halacas (VACCHO), Dr Claire Langdon (Department of Health), Dr Ngaree Blow (Australian Indigenous Doctors Assocation), Stephanie May (VACCHO).
Via teleconference not pictured Kim Faulkner (MDAS), Dr Karen Dixon and Greg McMeel (Murray City Coast GP Training), Prof Karen Dwyer (Deakin)
Key allies met at VACCHO on 19 February 2020 The holistic nature of work in the ACCO sector, to address GP workforce shortage within ACCOS opportunity for longer appointment times, integrated across Victoria. team approach, work flexibility, competitive The GP Workforce Working Group includes members remuneration, opportunity for cultural immersion and from ACCOs, Universities, rural doctors’ associations, learning and contained work hours are likely to be GP training organisations, the Australian Indigenous strong drawcards for many GPs. Doctors Association, Primary Health Networks and Crucial to retention will be ensuring ACCO GPs State and Federal Government. have appropriate support on a local level to work With GP shortages experienced across rural and effectively and enjoy their roles. At a State level, remote Australia and a growing under supply of VACCHO is planning an inaugural ACCO GP workshop GPs projected by 2030, there are some significant to provide tailored education on child and youth challenges ahead. health and very importantly a forum to connect and At the meeting the group heard of strong interest strengthen collegiate support for GPs with ACCO GP from local medical students in Aboriginal health. In peers. This will be held in Bendigo on 1 May 2020 to the National Medical Survey of doctors in training, precede the Victorian Rural Health Conference. 48% of doctors across Australia, indicated future career interest in Aboriginal health. A key question For more information on the GP workshop or the for our sector is how we translate such interest into workforce initiatives, please contact State-wide recruitment and retention and ensure the best care is GP Workforce Coordinator, Stephanie May on provided to our Communities. [email protected] or 9411 9411.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 VACCHO has long been of the view that health must Looking forward be looked at holistically to provide true solutions. This means not only taking stock of the physical In the immediate future, as Australia gears up for impacts, but understanding and applying resources what Federal Government is calling the “new normal” to the mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of of catastrophic natural disasters, we will see the our peoples. introduction of new resilience measures - from insurance policies and purpose-built regional homes We are in targeted conversations with State and to full scale relocation. Many Australians households Federal Governments, to try to get the appropriate will introduce more immediate strategies such as air short and long-term support and assistance to areas conditioning, air purifiers or air pollution masks. most in need, as identified by our Members. We recognise that these measures are not always Central Bushfire Fund readily available to all, and VACCHO will work with our In response to the many offers of support coming into Members and governments to ensure the accessibility our Member organisations, we have set-up a central of resources that can help reduce any ongoing health funding mechanism for donations. concerns. This year’s efforts have seen us provide 1000 P2 masks to affected Communities along with For further details, please visit our website on www. water bottles. vaccho.org.au/donate-now/
8 VACCHO NEWS November - February 2020 Have your say in the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Growing the ACCO GP Workforce Mental Health System
VACCHO are hosting consultations in Communities across Victoria and we want you to be a part of it. We’re speaking with Communities to see how the Royal Commission can better improve the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria. To help us do this we are creating culturally and emotionally safe spaces across Victoria so that you are able to have your say in this Royal Commission. So come and join us, speak your truth. More details regarding venues and times will be released via or website and social media. Consultation dates Melbourne Tuesday 24 March
Dandenong Monday 23 March All Geelong Thursday 2 April consultations Horsham Wednesday 1 April are staffed by Aboriginal Ballarat Tuesday 7 April facilitators and Lakes Entrance Wednesday 22 April counsellors
Morwell Thursday 23 April
Shepparton Wednesday 29 April
Robinvale Thursday 7 May
Wodonga Thursday 14 May
If you wish to contribute to the consultation process, but do not feel comfortable contributing in a group setting or are unable to make a consultation, please contact Ruby Warber or Aidan Baginski on 03 9411 9411 or [email protected] or [email protected]
VACCHOVACCHO NEWSNEWS NovemberNovember -- FebruaryFebruary 20202020 99 Strength through speaking truth The South-West of Victoria is by myself - Christopher Saunders, speak about what they were the traditional homeland of the a proud Gunditjmara man and feeling and reflect on the day. Gunditjmara people. It is also VACCHO Cultural Safety Facilitator, One Community member said home to several of VACCHO’s to create an opportunity for the that the event felt so safe she felt Member services that include true history of his peoples to be comfortable enough to let her Gunditjmara Health Services, told, and that the wider community Boorais participate in the day, this Winda-Mara Aboriginal could come together with local was a huge win. Cooperative and Dhauwurd- Aboriginal communities to present Wurrung Elderly and Community a united force for reconciliation I truly believe that the support Health Service. and remembrance on a day of such and numbers on the day were only complex emotions. possible with help from the local It’s also one of the first massacre ACCOs that helped spread the sites recorded in Victoria. This This year’s event saw a rise in word through their networks. massacre was committed against the attendance with 80 + people Gunditjmara people at the hands standing in solidarity with the The event received praise from of local whalers. These events will Gunditjmara people at the site of Community and Glenelg Shire forever be infamously known as the the ‘Convincing Ground’ massacre. Council Mayor Cr Anita Rank who ‘Convincing Ground Massacre’. expressed her thanks that such The day started with the CEO of an event was able to happen and On January 26th 2020, the the Gunditj Mirring Corporation, even asked for the event to be held Gunditjmara people came together Damien Bell deliver a Welcome again to help educate the wider with the wider community (including to Country on behalf of the local community on local history. members of Glenelg Shire) and Mob. The day continued in solemn local ACCOs to pay homage to silence with a smoking ceremony For more information on this Gunditjmara ancestors killed during and the lighting of a Community event contact your nearest the ‘Convincing Ground Massacre’. made wooden sculpture. Gunditjmara ACCO or Glenelg This homage was a way of reclaiming Shire Council. this space, and telling the true The event ended at Wally’s Ramp history of local history. beach on Gunditjmara country Author: Christopher Saunders, Proud with attendees invited to share Gunditjmara man and VACCHO The event this year was organised stories with one another about, Cultural Safety Facilitator
10 VACCHO NEWS November - February 2020 SEWB State-Wide Gathering Tuesday 12 – Thursday 14 November 2020 Mildura
KMS Women’s Business Forum Tuesday 15 - Thursday 17 October 2019 Warrnambool Image: Leanne Adams
Out and about Follow us on VACCHO NEWS November - February 2020 11 VACCHO Board Members Karen Heap: Chairperson Kelli Bartlett 17-23 Sackville Street Collingwood VIC 3066 Michael Bell P 03 9411 9411 F 03 9411 9599 [email protected] Joe Day E John Gorton www.vaccho.org.au Michael Graham Suzie Squires Follow us on
STORIES | IDEAS | FEEDBACK If you would like to give us story ideas or comment on our newsletter please Don’t forget this is your call Cisco from our Communications newsletter and we need Team on 03 9411 9411 or email him on your stories and ideas. [email protected].
VACCHO Members • Aboriginal Community Elders Services • Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport & Recreation • Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service Co-operative • Ballarat & District Aboriginal Co-operative • Mallee District Aboriginal Services • Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative » Kerang Aboriginal Community Centre • Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service » Swan Hill and District Aboriginal Co-operative • Bubup Wilam for Early Learning Aboriginal Child and Family Centre • Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc. • Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative • Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation • Cummeragunja Housing and Development • Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-operative Aboriginal Corporation (Viney Morgan AMS) • Ngwala Willumbong Cooperative • Dandenong & District Aborigines Co-operative • Njernda Aboriginal Corporation • Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly and Community • Oonah Health and Community Services Health Service Aboriginal Corporation • Gippsland & East Gippsland • Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation Aboriginal Co-operative » Central Gippsland Aboriginal • Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative Health Services • Gunditjmara Aboriginal Co-operative • Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd • Kirrae Health Service Inc. • Victorian Aboriginal Health Service • Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation • Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative • Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Service • Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation • Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association • Weenthunga Health Network Inc
Note » Auspiced VACCHO News November - February 2020 This newsletter is printed on Impact recycled uncoated paper.